


Let it all out

by AdelvinaGaarder



Category: Batman - All Media Types, DCU (Comics), Superman - All Media Types
Genre: Angst and Feels, Guilt, Hug and Comfort, M/M, mental break down
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-07-05
Updated: 2016-07-05
Packaged: 2018-07-21 17:15:58
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,764
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7396414
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AdelvinaGaarder/pseuds/AdelvinaGaarder
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>After hearing the shocking news of Joe Chill's (the murderer who killed his parents) death, Bruce is overwhelmed and he seeks for Clark's comfort.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Let it all out

Sometimes, Batman gives in to the thought, Gotham is a blood-stained, hopeless place.

The interrogation is a waste of time. Batman realizes the man chained in front of him at the cell room is too low-level to know anything useful of the Joker. He is most probably another random gangs who was manipulated by the clown and got himself jailed without a clue. Another dead end to the unsolved breakout of Arkham, what a pleasant night.

Batman is frustrated, he shoves his iron chair in a loud bang and stomps out of the room. It has been four days since the Joker broke out from the asylum. The clown hasn’t make a move. But Batman knows the game well enough that he has to take the first move, before a pawn or two are taken down mercilessly. He can see the faces of thousands who were tortured or killed by that manic, those are the memories haunt him in his nightmares and he would wake up breathing heavily.

Where is he? What is his next plan? Questions bubble up instantly in his mind and he let out a hiss. The two guards at the door must be terrified as Batman can hears them gasped. They quickly open the door and back out, doesn’t even have the gut to look at the vigilante’s face.

Commissioner Gordon is waiting outside restless, looking tired and leaning on the wall cross-armed. “Any clue?” He follows Batman down the hallway, a guard escorting them.

“No.” Batman replies in a flat tone. “Absent minded. Too low-level.”

Gordon frowns. “Applying an interrogation at midnight is very complicated and it requires accompany.” He remarks. “Next time you might consider to do a full investigation before paying late night visit.”

Batman remains silence. He is too fills up with thoughts and fears and troubles. The Joker breakout happened in a sudden. Everything on the schedule wrecks up afterwards. Tonight he should have had a dinner date with Clark. Clark has been urging Bruce to eat pizza for a week. It is not difficult to see Clark expectancy to the date. However, all Bruce could do is to message Clark a no and blame on the vigilante’s business. Through Clark’s reply of a pouting emoji, Batman can picture Clark's bitterly smile and disappointed eyes.

The three men enter another section. Prisoners there are noisy and awake, whispering something urgent to each and other. Perhaps a big news from the others. They all hush up at the glimpse of the bat cowl. Batman walks down the hallway through the dead air. He stops by one of the cell and grabs one of the bar. “What are all the chatters for?” He indicates to no one specific. The prisoners are too afraid and they might even shiver under their blankets.

“Batman, even though your position, you are not supposed to talk to any other prisoners.”

“It may be about the dead.” The guard points out. “Joe Chill died earlier today at his own cell.”

 _Joe Chill._ The name Bruce swore never to forget. The name of the man who robbed his family, who killed his parents, who brutally ended Bruce’s childhood dream and began his nightmare.

“It is a natural death.” The guard continues. “It appears to be a heart attack after examination.”

_There was a time above, a time before, there were perfect things, diamond absolutes. But things fall things on earth. And what falls is fallen._

“Quite a quick death to that bastard.” The guard says. “He deserved more for killing a family that way.”

 _In the dreams, it took him to the light._ Bruce dreamt of the scene over and over again through his life. Every time, a tiny hope tingles his heart. He believes that someday he will dream of his father beating up the man and his family escaping from the alley, into the light. Except that never happens. The only scene that keeps running is a gunshot, the fall of a man, another gunshot, the drop of pearls from the necklace, and a boy screaming with fear and angst.

Batman takes a deep breath. “I will keep up with the investigation.” He turns to the commissioner and stated. “You know how to find me.” He leaves before Gordon could ask any question, before the guard could continue judging, before he would actually break down in front of them.

*****

It is 3 and the moon is low when Bruce comes home from his patrol. He removes his suit and put away his gadgets. He takes a shower, cold water running down his back smoothly. He could not stop recalling the piece of memory. His heart aches when he enjoys the death of Joe Chill.

When he enters his room, Bruce find Clark sprawls at the bed, grabbing the blanket close, asleep, at peace. There is a little joy Bruce has at his peaceful boyfriend. Little did Clark knows how he light up Bruce’s world all the time. Clark’s face is soft; he must have been in a dreamless sleep. On the contrary, Bruce couldn’t even shut his eyes bearing the image of his parents’ murder.

Bruce decides not to sleep. Not that he is not used to stay up late, a part of Bruce wants to knock himself out, so he can escape from the moment. Bruce lives long enough to realize he can never get rid of that night, it is like the way he treats his criminals, branded to himself. Instead of shivering on the bed, gasping and curling, he should just stay awake and not interrupt Clark.

He takes a chair and puts it beside the bed. He sits there, so he can see the face that keeps him peaceful. He wants to caress Clark’s face, but too afraid that he will wake his partner up. Bruce grabs a silver ball and rolls it in his hand. A little something that helps him thinking. He is staring at the ceiling while leaning down on the chair, trying desperately to calm himself down.

He wanted to kill Joe Chill. It was a thought growing in him since his youth, similar to the dream every child has, just more dark and cruel. After the death of that murder, he is relieved. However, a part of him is unsatisfied and unfulfilled, angry at the way God forbid him to end this man himself.

Bruce starts to worry about his nightmares, thinking if they are too real and too disturbing. He can see his parents' plain, dead face clearly. He raises his head and meet Joe Chill's frightened eyes. At a sudden, a scream bursts from his throat and something rips his chest.

Bruce gasp and let go of the silver ball, his eyes wide open and forehead damp with cold sweat.

A big mistake.

The silver drops and hits the floor, loud enough to alert Clark’s kryptonian reflexes.

Clark is awake. His eyes flung open and blink a bit. He seems to be groggy, it takes a while for Clark to focus on Bruce. “Bruce,” He murmurs and tilts his head. “Sleep?” “I can’t.” Clark frowns, he sits up and waits for an explanation silently.

“Joe Chill is dead.”

“The night my parents were murdered I caught a glimpse of something. I've looked for it ever since. I went around the world, searched in all the shadows. And there is something out there in the darkness, something terrifying, something that will not stop until it gets revenge... Me.”

“How about now? The man I wanted to revenge is dead. Whether I like it or not, God deprived me from revenging. He allowed the man to die without suffering.”

“Answer me Clark,” Bruce’s voice breaks. “Do you think that something is still out there? Feeling unsatisfied?”

Instead of answering, Clark raises his arms and holds Bruce’s cheeks close. Nose to nose, he looks at Bruce with the pair of firm eyes. “You are you, Bruce.” He whispers. “To be angry is to be human. Nothing in you has change.”

“I am a vigilante.” Bruce says with a spark of anger. “I know I’m better than this.”

Clark pats Bruce’s back gently. “You should get some rest.”

Bruce wants to. In order to fall asleep, he will have to get rid of those images filling his head. By the time Clark tries to settle the bed for him, Bruce break free from Clark’s arms and runs to the nearest drawer. He remembers that bottle he used to keep before he has Clark. Something that could force him to sleep after nightmares, so he could go to the meeting as usual next morning.

Clark approaches Bruce quietly. To be honest, he is in a spin over Bruce’s emotion. Under the cowl, Bruce never let his emotion drive himself. Batman is sharp, quick and silent. Bruce in person is cool-headed and bright, occasionally vain. Yet the Bruce standing next to him is brimming, overwhelmed by his anger and vengeance.

Bruce finds the bottle of sleeping pills. He tries to open the lid, but Clark snatches the bottle away from him. Leaving him standing there, looking confused at Clark.

“Don’t!” Clark bursts out and puts the bottle away. “Stop hurting yourself.”

Bruce stares at Clark and says nothing. Clark immediately regrets on shouting at Bruce. He knows Bruce is disturbed by his nightmares, that stopping him from taking pills, is asking too much from him. But he couldn’t help himself from stopping Bruce, from caring Bruce. Clark lowers his head, away from Bruce’s stare.

Instead of a blame coming, something falls on to the carpet beneath. Then a few more droplets, moisten the carpet a little. Clark gasps, raising his head uncertainly.

The man in front of him is holding back his tears, but fails to.

_Bruce is crying._

By the next conscious moment, Bruce realizes he is on his knees on the floor. Clark is kneeling next to him. Clark’s arms wrap around his shoulder, holding him close and warm. He buries his wet cheeks on Clark’s shoulder, hiding his vulnerability.

“It is okay, Bruce.” Clark says gently after a while. “Let it all out.”

For the first time since then, Bruce weeps in despair, crying like the 8 years old child who lost his family and his world. No matter how invincible Batman is, Bruce is only human, he crashes and he falls down.

Clark embraces Bruce’s everything, the sorrow, the fear, the anger and the bitterness. He swears to his heart, murmurs the words, that he would never let Bruce cry hopelessly again.

**Author's Note:**

> As a cuddler myself, I think Clark is a warm cuddler with his broad chest and big arms around the shoulders. Bruce doesn't break easily, but when it comes to his parents, I believe there are a lot of emotions buried in him. Slightly inspired from the scene of Rihan and Setsura, in Nursrihyon no Mago OVA. Kudos and comments are welcomed.


End file.
